Sewing machine bobbins of either silk, cotton, nylon or other fibres or synthetic material, and methods of making the same



Feb. 5, 1957 J. M. PHILIPS 2,780,191 I SEWING MACHINE BOBBINS OF EITHER SILK, COTTON, NYLON OR OTHER FIBRES OR SYNTHETIC MATERIAL, AND

METHOD F MAKING THE SAME I -i May 4, 1955 12 flL VEN TOR.

JOEL M P IFS ATTOR EY United States Patent 6 saw-mo MACHINE aBOBBlNS tor EITHER slLK,

. COTTON, NYLON 0R QR SYN- rrmrrc MAT RIAL, AND METHODS OF MAK- INC THE SAME I Joel M.=Philips, Hillsdale, -N. J. i Application May 4, .1953, Serial No.- 352,606

3 Claims. q c1.112-2s1 This invention relates to an improvement in sewing machine bobbins of either silk, cotton, nylon or other fibres orsynthetic material, and methods of-making the same.

Sewing machine bobbins heretofore used of varying types haveleach embodied an axial bore for the reception of a shaft or the like in a bobbin case. -Thus, bobbins comprising metal spools having an axial bore and with thread wound thereon by the operator were each rotatably mounted in a bobbin case. A disadvantage of such metal bobbin was its-tendency to continueto spin within the bobbin case after the operator had stopped the machine, thus causing tangling of the thread. A paper shell bobbin having a similar axialbore was later used which had the advantage of 'being; lighter in weight than the metalbobbin and had less tende'ncy-to overspin-with less tangling after the sewing machi ne was stoppedfalso because of the light structural characteristics of the paper bobbin a greater amount of thread could be wound on the bobbin so as to enable a sewing machine operator to work for a longer period of time before a bobbin change was necessary. Recently a bobbin for nylon thread also embodied an axialbore but was formed solely of thread. Such all-thread bobbins embody the usual central'bore 'or bearing aperture adapted to fit ona shaft, and the strands of thread areheld together by an. adhesive compound applied under pressure. In unwinding the thread fromsuch a bobbin, it is necessary topeel oil the thread therefrom. A greater .quantity of thread may be wound on each all-thread bobbin which is kept from overspinning by reason of the use of the thread-binding adhesive. Disadvantages of this bobbin are: (1) the thread does not peel -a way-from the bobbin evenly while in tension, thus causing jerkiness as the bobbin-operates in the sewing machine, and uneven stitches are often the result; (2) the adhesive used tends to collect'upon parts of the sewing machine, thus requiring frequent cleaning and time lost by the operator. While there is no overspinning in this adhesively-bound, all-thread bobbins, the uneven peeling of the thread from the bobbin isalmost like trying to unwind aspool of Scotch tape.

One of the objects of the present invention is to produce a bobbin ofthe all-thread.type which eliminates the usual axial-bore and utilizes the space saved by providing what I shall term -anaxial filler portion of wound thread, thus enabling a greater quantity-of thread to be wound on a'bobbintha'n was heretofore possible, and permitting a sewing machine operator to work for a longer period of time before a bobbin change is necessary.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in com- :bination with my all-thread, axially-filled, boreless-bobbin,va:bobbinicase in which the shaftupon whichcon- ,ventional bobbins revolveis removed and eliminated.

Still anotherobject of my invention-is, in an all-thread,

axiallyfilled, boreless bobbin, to enablevduring opera- 70 tion 'or removal of threadfrom 1the bobbin a uniform feed of such thread from the center, over the top of the 2 bobbin and out through a conventional thread-feeding aperture in the bobbin case.

Still another object of invention is to provide a bobbin andbobbin case in which there can be no overspin and it will be impossible to tangle the thread within the bobbin c ase by overspinning.

Still another object of my invention is to produce a center-feed bobbin of the all-thread type in which the use of an adhesive and all its disadvantages are eliminated and in which the cohesiveness of the untreated or uncoated strands of the thread itself is developed by heat and pressure to provide a rigidcylinder and a bobbin that will not collapse or disintegrate during an unwinding operation but will retain its shape. 7 i

Still another object of my invention is in a center-feed bobbin of the all-thread type specified which will comprise a truly cylindrical, rigid body in which the developed cohesiveness of the threads in the bobbin body 7 will provide sufiicient and uniform tension from the beginning to iend of an unwinding operation.

Still another object of my invention is to produce a center-feed bobbin of the all-thread type which will be provided in one of its flat surfaces with a depressed radially extending groove along which the thread may run safely, smoothly and with a proper degree of frictional tension. 7

Still another object of my invention is to produce a bobbin of the all-thread type having an axial fillerportion and provided in one of its fiat surfaces with a depressed radially-extending groove extending across said axial filler portion and the surrounding body of thread, whereby any need for a center shaft is eliminated entirely and when an axial filler portion of wound-thread is substituted for an axial bore, a bobbin comprising a solid mass of thread is produced having a considerably greater yardage of thread than has been possible in any bobbin heretofore produced.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a view in vertical section of my preferred device for winding thread on a thin spindle to obtain an all-thread bobbin with a center-feed in which the central hole is very small;

Fig. 2 is a view in plan of an all-thread blank for my bobbin which has been initially wound on the slender spindle shown in the device of Pig. 1;

T Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the bobbin blank shown in fig. 2;

Fig; 4 is a vi w partly in section and partly in elevation of a press used by me to apply pressure to the initially formed bobbin blanks shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the press being shown after insertion of the blank but before pressure is applied thereto;

Pig. 5 is a view showing the press in pressure-applying position;

Fig. 6 is a view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4 showing a rib formed on the bottom surface of the plunger of' the press for the purpose of producing a groove in the upper surface of my all-thread bobbin;

Fig. 7 is a view in plan of my all-thread completed bobbin having an integral radially-extending thread-guiding groove in the upper surface thereof;

Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of a bobbin case in which my bobbin is utilized; and

Fig. 9 is a view in plan of the bobbin case showing a Y with said shaft. ton, nylon or other fibres or synthetic material capable 3 bobbin from which a portion of the thread has been withdrawn and used.

Referring now to these drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, indicates a wound bobbin blank, which it will be seen comprises an annular or generally cylindrical mass of thread 11 which preferably is wound upon a suitable winding machine 12 having a suitable guiding element 14, and provided with a very thin or slender spindle 13. The spindle 13 preferably employed by me is approximately of diameter so that when the bobbin blank is removed therefrom, the axial hole or aperture left by such removal will be even smaller than g of an inch because of the normal expansion of the thread at the axial center portion of the bobbin blank which takes the place of the usual axial 1 hole or aperture which is usually one-fourth of an inch in diameter. As illustrated, only the shaft of the winding machine 12 is shown. This shaft is rotated at a high rate of speed from any suitable source not shown and the thin spindle 13 is fixedly connected to and rotatable Any suitable thread such as silk, cotof use in sewing machines may be employed and is wound in conventional or normal manner without applying thereto any adhesive, bonding or other extraneous material of similar character. Upon conclusion of the winding operation, and removal thereof from the winding machine, the said bobbin will assume substantially the bulged shape shown in Fig. 2, and a strand of the thread 11 will extend from the center of said blank to provide for a center feed from the completed bobbin.

The first step of my method thus comprises the winding on a slender spindle of a suitable mass of thread to produce a bobbin blank which assume substantially the upwardly and downwardly bulged shape shown in Figs. 2

, and 3 and the next step of my said method comprises the subjection of said blank to heat and pressure simultane- ..ously. This step may be accomplished in any suitablyheated mechanical press 17. I preferably subject said blank to approximately 1000 pounds of pressure and simultaneously during the pressing operation said bobbin is subjected to between 300 F. and 400 F. of heat. Thus in bobbin blanks formed of synthetics such as rayon, nylon, etc. I preferably subject the same to heat of substantially 300 F.; that bobbins formed of silk are preferably subjected to the pressure hereinabove specified and heat at between 300 F. and 350 F., and bobbins formed of cotton are similarly subjected to the same pressure at heat between 350 F. and 400 F., and the periods during which such heat and pressure are applied preferably comprise three to four seconds for cotton, rayon, silk and other similar materials which are easy to set, and I preferably apply heat up to five minutes for materials that are hard to set, such as nylon, Dacron, etc. To provide the necessary heat, I have shown the body 1') of my press (which contains a cylindrical pressing or treating depression 17 with a series of heat-transmitting pipes or tubular apertures 17 to which pipes or tubular apertures a proper degree of heat from a suitable source not shown is provided. The necessary pressure preferably comprises axial pressure by the plunger only as the circumferential walls of the pressing depression will enable the bobbin blank to be held from any circumferential expansion during application of such axial pressure on the upper and lower surfaces of the bobbin body, it being understood that in my press illustrated there will be exerted a suitable degree of axial pressure by the plunger. Such pressure on the bobbin blank will be sufficient, together with the application of heat, to compress and reduce the cross-sectional area of the bobbin from the form shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 5, inherently deforming the cross-sections of the threads by such heat treatments and compressions and providing the necessary or required stiffness and coherence in the product, it being understood that all textile fibres and like materials acquire a stiffness and rigidity when subjected to heat in an ironing operation, and it is thought that the stiffening and cohesiveness produced by applicants process in his bobbin represent somewhat similar phenomena.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the bottom surface 17 of my plunger 17 is provided with a raised radial rib 17, which extends from the center of the plunger to the circumference thereof. Such rib 17 in the pressing and heating operation will cause a depression or groove 10 to be formed in the upper surface 11.-- of the completed bobbin 10. This radial groove or depression will remain permanently in the coherent material that forms the top plane surface of my said completed bobbin after release of said bobbin from the press. Said bobbin, during such heating and pressing, assumes a truly cylindrical shape. This is partly due to the original shape of the blank and partly to the shape of the press depression. Said press depression is proportioned and arranged to cause the straightening out of the upper and lower surfaces of the blank and the small central aperture formed by the winding of the spindle 13 will be substantially closed while a strand of thread will extend from said center and will, when in use in a bobbin case, extend along and within said radial groove 10 The cylindrical bobbin 10 comprises an article of commerce and may be shipped and held for a long period of time without losing its shape. In use, the said bobbin 10 will be placed in a suitable bobbin case and when thread from the center of said bobbin is threaded or passes along the groove 10 a suflicient frictional resistance will be added to produce a proper tension to provide for a uniform feeding of the thread from the bobbin.

The bobbin that applicant has devised thus consists only of thread. In operation with this bobbin, the shaft within the bobbin case upon which all conventional bobbins must revolve, is removed. There is no hole in the center of this improved bobbin, and as the axial bore for the shaft or bearing aperture is eliminated, I am consequently enabled to wind on each bobbin an additional quantity of thread that fills the space heretofore occupied by such axial bore and which additional quantity of thread I shall term the axial filler portion of the bobbin.

In unwinding from my improved bobbin in a sewing machine the thread is fed or passed from the center over the top of the bobbin and out through a conventional thread-feeding aperture in a bobbin case, and neither the bobbin nor the bobbin casing spins in any manner while the thread is being removed. Therefore, there can be no overspin and it will be impossible to tangle the thread within the bobbin case by overspinning.

In operation, a thread from the center of the bobbin is passed through an aperture controlled by a tension spring in the periphery of the bobbin casing and the pulling of the thread is accomplished by the hook in the sewing machine in the normal manner. Because the thread is removed from the center of the bobbin rather than from the periphery thereof there is no catching or engagement of the thread nor tangling thereof. However, the movement of the thread being fed from the bobbin center along the groove in the upper surface of the bobbin provides a desirable frictional resistance and the tension on this thread being fed is kept uniform from beginning to end because of the use of said depression or groove within the bobbin itself along which the thread will run safely and smoothly. It will be understood furthermore that any need whatsoever of the center shaft is eliminated by such use of the depression or groove so that by the method outlined above we not only eliminate the center hole of the bobbin but produce a solid mass of thread which contains a considerably greater yardage in the art know that bobbins embodying the greatest amount of yardage tend to reduce the cost by eliminating a certain number of bobbin changes per day. Those in the art also know that the use of a center feed bobbin provides a structure which will eliminate any possibility of overspinning and tangling on the high speed sewing machines which any center shaft bobbin may tend to do.

By using my method of applying heat and pressure only in compressing the mass to change the shape from an initial bulged mass achieved by a conventional winding of the bobbin blank under tension to a final shape comprising a truly cylindrical body, I produce a bobbin body that will not only retain its shape while unwinding to the very last end but will enable release of its thread evenly and smoothly. Also by using the proper amounts of heat and pressure, I am enabled to procure 'a degree of stiffness, rigidity and cohesiveness in the bobbin structure that will not only stand up in an unwinding operation, but will be durable and capable of shipment in regular channels and storing in conventional methods.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A sewing machine bobbin comprising 'a mass of coiled uncoated thread composed of a continuous thread helically and tightly wound about an axial center, said mass of helically and tightly wound coiled threadcomprising a series of successive superposed coils of normal thread material having contacting external surface portions of adjacently positioned threads of the coils disposed in close engagement with each other and cohesively connected together, said threads being heat and pressure deformed into a rigid and stiff bobbin body of truly cylindrical shape with fiat upper and lower surfaces, said bobbin body having an inherent rigidity and compactness that gives to the coils of thread in unwound condition an inherent set of curvilinear shape and such contacting external surface portions of 'adjacently-positioned coils providing a uniform tension and resistance to unwinding from the bobbin of such normal threads.

2. A sewing machine bobbin as in claim 1, wherein said mass has at its center an axial feed thread and wound thread portions contacting said feed thread whereby the usual bore is eliminated and the space thereof is filled with similarly connected wound thread to provide an additional quantity of thread to be wound on the bobbin, thus permitting a sewing machine operator to work for a longer period of time before a bobbin change is necessary.

3. A method of making sewing machine bobbins comprising wound coils of thread and consisting in winding tightly about an axially-located rigid spindle of slender diameter a series of such coils of thread into a mass having the shape of a bobbin, withdrawing said spindle, positioning a feed thread to project axially from said mass, and thereafter subjecting said mass of wound coils of thread simultaneously to heat of substantially 300 F. and to pressure of approximately 1000 pounds applied axially and radially for time periods varying according to the type of thread material being processed from three seconds for materials easy to set to five minutes formaterials hard to set, and thus to reduce the diameter and height of the mass and also cause a coherent setting of the normal material into a substantially solid and rigid cylindrical mass of thread having adjacently-positioned portions of the material in said coils connected with each other and with the feed thread at the surfaces thereof, and thus to provide a bobbin which during operation by a pull upon the feed thread will release its thread with a uniform degree of tension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

